The Legacy of the Ashfords
by Shady-777
Summary: Alfred and Alexia have just become parents at the ripe old age of 14. Will they be able to keep the secret, or will Alexander find out? How will Alfred deal when Alexia forces him to do all the work? COMPLETE
1. The birth of Ash Ashford

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_ ( Disclaimer: Resident Evil is not mine, never will be, yadda yadda yadda, you know the drill. ) _

Chapter 1

A 14-year-old Alfred Ashford strode hurriedly down the halls of Ashford Manor, carrying a glass of water for his precious sister. 

He knew the hour was nearing, and dear Alexia had requested a drink. Being the faithful little worker ant he was, so to speak, he'd been all too happy to comply.

Alexia was pregnant. With _his_ child.

A thought that made him unspeakably happy, but scared at the same time. 

It was considered very inappropriate in most modern cultures for a girl of 14 to have a child. Even more inappropriate for the said 14 year old's child to be fathered by her own twin brother. Incest at it's worst.

Alfred didn't care. He'd enjoyed their naughty nights together. And hadn't Alexia herself said she'd wanted a child, that it was part of her plan?

As he made his way through the lavish corridor, Alfred found his thoughts drifting back to the past.

__

Yes, we can have a child together, Brother. It will all go to plan; I have it all worked out. We will have a child of pure blood to replace our useless father and help us regain the glory of the Ashford name! Alexia had spoken those fateful words nine months ago.

And so far, she had been doing a wonderful job of hiding her condition: by insisting to wear covering dresses all the time during her last trimester, she had disguised her condition, and Alexander, their inadequate father, had been non-the-wiser. 

Whatever Alexia wanted, she got.

Alfred on the other hand….well…that was a different story. It seemed that Alexia could do no wrong and Alfred could do no right. He was always taking the dive for things his sister had done. Not that he minded--he would do anything for his twin--but it did get kind of stressful at times taking the janitor's place as punishment for things that he hadn't even done.

Of course, a lot of the punishment he'd gotten had been well deserved--he'd literally gotten away with murder at the age of six. Nobody had caught him, luckily.

But this…this was much to important to take risks on. 

_If Father finds out that Alexia and I are parents, we're doomed! _Alfred thought, turning a corner into another hall, _He'll go into a fit of rage…I will be punished and may never see Alexia again. He mustn't know…no-one must know! But how are we going to keep this secret for long? Alexia and I will not be able to be with the child all the time…Alexia will know what to do. She always knows what to do…_

" And just where are you going today, Alfred? "

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the voice of Rupert, one of the butlers of Ashford Manor. Sure enough, the older man was coming down the hall--straight at him.

And so close to the place Alexia had chosen as a nursery!

Alfred nearly spilled the water. Nobody was supposed to be in this section of the mansion! Alexander had forbade it due to repairs. Not that much needed repairing…

" Me? I'm just, ah…" Alfred faltered for words. 

Rupert stopped in front of the young Ashford, waiting for him to finish.

" Nevermind! What are you doing here? "

Rupert frowned. " I, sir, work here. Your father ordered me to inspect the extent of the damage done to west-wing properties. But I did not hear him say _you _were allowed down here, young master. Tell me, where are you going with that water? "

Rupert cast Alfred a suspicious eye.

A feeling of dread welled up inside Alexia's twin, this wasn't supposed to happen! He couldn't tell Rupert he was taking the water to Alexia--Alexia was supposedly gone off to the university to take care of some business today, and they weren't supposed to be back here anyway. And he had absolutely zero time to plot Rupert's undoing; not with his sister in so critical of a condition. 

She was counting on him to make sure she was not discovered…

" I'm just taking this water to one of my plants I forgot in the back room," Alfred blurted, knowing that his excuse was incredibly lame and a tad unbelievable, " I forgot it back there and it's so dry, I…erm, want to water it before taking it back to the east wing. It's a very special plant, you see."

Rupert glared at Alfred before rolling his eyes. " I really don't have the time to deal with you right now--we shall see what your father says when he gets home this evening. "

The butler passed by, never noticing how hatefully Alfred was glaring at him.

_Insignificant fool! He could jeopardize this whole family…no…no, he wont. _Alfred's lips twisted up into a murderous smile. _Alexia and I will take care of him later, before Father gets home tonight._

The thought comforted Alfred; when he and Alexia wanted to kill someone, they generally got killed. 

Now, time to visit his sister.

Wasting no more time, Alfred slipped through the rooms until he reached the very bedroom he'd had as a child. There was a secret passage above the bed. He pulled the hidden lever and the entire top half of the bed slid down, revealing a ladder. This he climbed to the top, then pressed a button which slid the bed-top back into place.

The room he was in now was a lavish playroom with ant décor everywhere. He strode over to a certain red-jeweled ant along the wall and pressed it in with his finger.

Another ladder lowered from a hidden compartment on the ceiling, and this, too, he climbed; with great care not to spill the water.

Now he was in an attic of sorts in a very secret room which was believed to have once belonged to Veronica herself. Not even Alexander knew the secret--this mansion was indeed very old and Alfred and Alexia had only stumbled upon it by mistake years ago.

The room wasn't much to look at--the paint had long ago chipped away and the floor and furniture were in serious need of a dusting from years of neglect--but it was hidden, and thus well suited for their purposes.

In the center of the room loomed a large, elegant bed with beautiful purple drapes drawn around it, hiding it's contents from view. 

It was for this bed and the chair nearby it that Alfred headed.

" Alfred, do you have the water? " Alexia's voice demanded from within. 

Though he could not see her, Alfred detected the pain in her voice and knew that her time had come.

Who knew, maybe it already had. After all, he'd just been sitting next to her bed now for hours making sure that nobody dared venture too close. During all of that time, Alexia had forbade him to see her. It had gotten so frightfully boring that he'd taken to reading comic books while he waited. That is, when Alexia wasn't having him wait on her.

" Right here, Alexia."

Alfred approached the side of the bed with the water. The drapes parted ever so slightly, and Alexia's delicate hand reached. Gently, Alfred set the glass in it.

Alexia's hand withdrew into the curtain, and Alfred could hear her taking a sip.

" Ah. That hit's the spot."

Seconds later, the curtains parted again, and Alexia threw the rest of the water straight onto Alfred, drenching part of his shirt before tossing the glass into him and withdrawing her arm.

" Gah! What made you do that, Sister? " Alfred complained, wiping at his shirt and picking the glass up.

Alexia giggled in response. " Mood swings, remember? "

Alfred frowned, knowing Alexia had done it just out of pure meanness. " Ah, yes. Just like the times you tossed me out of the window and hit me in the nose."

" Precisely." She sounded way too smug.

" Listen, we might be in trouble. Rupert caught me coming down the hall…"

" He didn't suspect, did he? " Alexia growled, " What did you tell him? "

Gulp. Alfred flinched, " Actually, I told him I was watering a plant…I know that's lame, but I couldn't think of anything else! We may need to dispose of him later on tonight."

" Perfect." Alexia grumbled unhappily, " You can always calculate on some inferior ponce to gum up the works. I will assess the matter directly after I am done here."

" How do you feel, dear sister? "

" I'm going into labor, how do _you_ think I feel? "

" Anything I can do? " Alfred could only imagine the pain she must be going through.

" Yes, be quiet! "

Half an hour later, Alfred heard a small cry emit from beyond the drapes.

" Has it…is it…? " He was so excited he sprang out of his chair and knocked the empty water glass skidding across the floor.

" Yes. " Alexia's voice came from the other side of the curtains, " I have just given birth to our son." She sounded exhausted.

" May I see? " Alfred was unable to hold back his excitement.

" Sure. Just a moment."

There was some rustling of blankets being moved, and an instant later the curtains parted all the way and Alexia handed Alfred a small bundle wrapped in a little white blanket. " This is yours."

In the blanket, staring up in wonder at his father with baby blue eyes, was Alfred's son.

" He's so tiny! " Alfred chirped happily, and the baby laughed.

Alexia smiled. " Yes, Brother, most babies are. Look at him. Does he not resemble us at that age? " 

Alfred nodded. " Yes. Then again, I suppose that stands to reason, what with us being twins and all. I'm a father! Or an uncle, or however you want to put it. Are you sure he wont end up with mental problems because of us being twins? "

Alexia's smile was short lived. " Of course not, I have taken precautions. Now, I do believe I have a shower to take before I take care of that meddlesome Rupert." 

Dressed in a pink dress she'd readied for after the birth, Alexia got out of the bed and started for the door.

Alfred's smile evaporated, " But…doesn't he need a name? "

Alexia stopped. " Mmm. Let's see here, we're Ashfords, we'll call him Ash. That should be easy enough to remember. You can give him a middle name."

" Alfred." Alfred said immediately, " I'll name him after me: Ash Alfred Ashford."

Ash giggled in response, as if agreeing with the name. He hadn't cried out once so far.

Alexia turned to go away. 

At that very instant, Ash began crying, begging to be fed.

Alfred was dumbfounded. " Alexia! Wait! I think Ash wants something to eat! "

Alexia did not even look back. " Well then, I guess you'd better fix him a bottle, Brother."

Alfred's jaw dropped. " But I don't know anything about fixing baby formula! What if someone catches me? "

Alexia turned and gave him a cold, wicked glare. " And you're supposed to have above average intelligence. Figure it out. I have very important matters to contend with, and I can't be bothered. Make sure nobody discovers him. I'll discuss my plan with you up here at nine o'clock tonight."

Alfred's eyes went wide. " But that's almost twelve hours away! You're going to leave me all alone with our baby for that long? "

Alexia snickered. " You can handle it." And with that, she turned and headed down the ladder, leaving Alfred with a crying baby.

" There there, Ash," Alfred cooed, " Please don't cry like that. Someone might hear you, and then we're _all _going to be in trouble."

Of course, Ash could not understand. All he understood was that he was hungry and he wanted his mommy, even if this new person holding him did kind of _look _like her.

Sighing, Alfred lowered his finger into Ash's mouth to quiet him.

_Alexia's not very maternal_, he concluded, _I wonder how she plans on raising a kid in secret? That's going to be kind of hard to do with our lifestyle and especially when Ash gets old enough to walk and talk…_

Ash began crying again, discovering he could get no food from Alfred's finger.

Gingerly, Alfred set his son down on the bed in which he had been born and encircled him in pillows to keep him from rolling out.

" Stay there." He ordered, " I'm going to get you some milk."

Ash cried even more. Luckily, it was not that loud of a cry, and as long as no-one got too close to the secret room, they would not be able to hear it.

Alfred descended the ladder, mind swimming. _Baby formula, and then he's going to need diapers, baby clothes, a pacifier…and she expects me to get all of these things without being noticed? Man, I've gotta be a miracle worker._

He hurried out into the hall, now unable to hear Ash's cries.

It occurred to him that he was not going to be finding baby things in Ashford Manor--the last babies that had occupied the premises had been non other than him and his sister.

That meant he was going to have to buy the things from a store.

Alone.

Alfred felt a knot well up in his stomach. How was he ever going to do that? The household servants and caretakers would be sure to notice his odd behavior, and baby things were not going to be easy to explain. Also, the clerks at the closest stores all knew who he was, and gossip traveled faster than the speed of light in these parts.

Then he got an idea.

_I know! I'll dress up like a girl and nobody will recognize me!_

He'd already had experience in that department--sometimes, when Alexia was away for extended amounts of time, Alfred liked to dress up like her and pretend to be her. He could even sound like a her when he wanted.

Quickly, he sped to Alexia's room and put one of her pink, frilly dresses on. He found his blonde wig, and moaned. 

It wouldn't look any better for Alexia to be seen buying infant items. 

Alfred dug through Alexia's things until he found the black wig she'd worn last Halloween to a masquerade party. She'd gone as a witch.

He lost no time in putting the wig on and heading to the bathroom where he fumbled with the makeup. He'd gotten quite good at applying it, and indeed when he came out of the room, he looked like a young teenaged girl on her way to a date's house, and not like Alfred Ashford at all.

Having accomplished that, he used to the special passage linking Alexia's room to his to go in and grab his wallet.

Pulling it open, he counted the 100's. 

" One thousand, two hundred and twenty-two dollars. And sixty-eight cents." He said aloud, " I don't think I'll be needing that much, but I'll take it with me just in case."

Now came the tricky part.

Carefully, Alfred crept out of his room and looked around. There wasn't a soul in sight. Thankful for that slice of good luck, he ran out across the room and into yet another hidden passage that would take him to the garage…

Minutes later found Alfred hurtling away on his bike at supersonic speed in the direction of the nearest grocery store. He'd had to sneak past security, and that had not been easy--one of the guards had caught a whiff of his perfume. 

But now that was over and he was on his way.

_I wish I knew how Ash was doing…_he thought, biting his lip and pedaling faster on his expensive new bike, _Why couldn't Alexia at least stay with him until I got back from all of this?_

Alfred loved his sister dearly and never dared to openly question her judgment, but there were times--like now--when he just did not understand her logic.

He reached the store without incident, and left his bike out front.

Then it was straight to the baby items.

_My lord, there are so many of them! _Alfred was faced with an entire aisle of baby-care products--everything from formula to toys. _ I'm going to need a basket._

On his way to the baskets, the future terror of Rockfort heard some familiar voices.

" Yeah, Will. I can't see how they expect us to get that done by Saturday."

The voice belonged to Albert Wesker, and he was talking to his friend and co-worker William Birkin. 

Both were Umbrella top-researchers, though Alfred never saw much of them. They were standing right by the carts!

" Hey, what say we take a break from all this work and get high in the labs tonight? " William sounded positively jovial, " I just got some angel dust, and then maybe we could do some weed. What do you think, Al? Just once in a blue moon couldn't hurt, as long as it didn't interfere with our studies…"

Wesker slouched against the shopping carts, a frown pulling down on his face. " I'd like to, Will, but the wife wants me to watch Alan tonight while she goes to a family reunion. I just can't…"

" Oh, come on! " William jabbed Wesker in the side, " Get the kid a babysitter! Let's have some fun! "

Wesker sighed. " That would be irresponsible. Besides, I don't get to see much of my son as it is. I don't want to be one of those absentee fathers."

__

" Don't be ridiculous," William argued, " The kid's only two years old…it doesn't make a difference to him if it's you watching him or a guy dressed up like Santa Clause."

Alfred could wait no longer. He _needed_ a cart.

" Um, excuse me, " He said, mustering up a feminine voice and being careful not to sound too much like Alexia, " but you're blocking the carts."

Wesker quickly backed away. " Sorry Miss."

Alfred grabbed a cart and headed back down the aisle, never noticing the way William and Wesker were staring at him.

Once back in the section, Alfred grabbed all of the most prominent items without even bothering to look at the price: bottle, pacifier, blankie, formula, and diapers.

Now came time to take the items to check-stand.

No sooner had the young father turned around then he came face-to-face with Wesker and Birkin.

They were just standing there; blocking his path and staring at him in a most peculiar manner.

" What an odd choice of items for a young girl," William noted, " Tell me, Miss, how old are you? "

Uh-oh. There was no way Alfred was going to fool these two scientists into thinking he was old enough to be a parent, and if they found out the truth he was dead meat.

Fortunately, he was pretty good at lying--most of the time. " I'm fourteen," Alfred admitted with a girly giggle, " and I'm buying these for my dolls to play dress up! I like to pretend they're real. Do you mind? "

The two researchers backed up in a hurry, horrified. 

" Nn…no. We've gotta go! " 

William and Wesker took off like the hounds of Hell were chasing them, not daring to look back.

" On second thought, I think I've had too much weed already," Alfred heard William say to his partner, " Nevermind what I said earlier, I'm going to go home and take a nice hot bath! "

_I wonder what **their** problem is_. Alfred turned away, shrugging, _You'd think they'd never seen a fourteen year old girl who liked playing with dolls._

After checkout--and it had been very uncomfortable the way the cashier had just kept staring--Alfred emerged to find his bike stolen.

" Friggen thieves," he swore aloud, " Now I'm going to have to walk! "

This was very unfortunate--of the few things he knew about babies, he knew that leaving them unattended for too long was not a good idea. And it embittered him that his bike had been stolen so quickly.

_I should have remembered my bike-lock--other people are jealous of what they cannot have, so they just take it. No respect. Poor people are such losers._

It was a good thing that the store was only about a mile away from Ashford Manor.

When, at last, Alfred made his way back home, past all the security, and up to Ash's room, he was in for another surprise; the bed was empty.

Ash was gone!

No sooner had he set the stuff down onto the bed then a sharp knock on his head sent him diving.

" Ow! What the…? "

Alexia was over him in an instant, a injection needle full of an ominous blue fluid poised over his neck.

Her expression was nothing short of murderous.

" Ouch! Please don't tell me this is another one of your mood swings, Alexia." Alfred moaned, this time in his own voice.

Alexia's eyes widened in surprise. She drew the needle away and allowed her brother to get up. 

" Alfred?! " She looked as if she'd just received an 'F' on a science paper.

Alfred ripped off the wig, revealing his blonde hair. " Yes. I had to disguise myself to go shopping, you know."

For a moment, Alexia was frozen. Then she shook her head in disgust. " Get out of my clothes you cross-dressing freak! You look positively preposterous! "

" Yes, right away. I'm sorry, but I needed to disguise…"

Alexia shook her head and made a face. " Don't bother trying to explain." She went over to Alfred's bag and began rummaging through it.

Alfred frowned. " You have to admit, it was a _good_ disguise."

" Perhaps a little too good," Alexia admitted, " I thought you were an imposter. I almost killed you, you know. That needle was filled with a nightshade compound."

" So where's Ash? "

" I hid him when I heard you coming. He's over there." Alexia gestured to the closet.

Alfred went over and peered inside. Sure enough, Ash was in there; sound asleep. What a relief!

Gently, he picked him up.

Ash yawned, melting his father's heart.

From the other corner of the room, Alexia cried out. " Egad! Your taste is _awful_! " She held up a little purple-and-pink infant gown.

" I am sorry, Alexia, but that's all they had."

Alexia rolled her eyes, indicating that she did not really believe that. " Oh well. It will suffice for now, I suppose. Now get about switching attire and getting that bottle ready. I will have to stay up here with Ash until you do, now that you've woken him up, genius."

The rest of the evening passed without incident, and nine o' clock came swiftly. 

All day long Alfred--now in his own clothes and minus the makeup--had remained up in the room taking care of Ash and emerging only when he had to.

It had been a little stressful to say the least, especially since Alexia rarely checked in and Ash required constant attention.

_Whoever said a baby's needs are simple oughta be drug out into the street and shot. _Alfred found himself thinking. 

There were times when Ash had started crying for no logical reason whatsoever, forcing Alfred to put on a humiliating display of epic proportions to try and cheer him up.

At nine o'clock, there was still no sign of Alexia.

Ash began crying.

Alfred sighed. " Where is your mother? "

Alexia could break dates, but Alfred had better be fifteen minutes early. It just wasn't fair.

After a minute or two, Alfred could stand it no longer. Retrieving Ash, he offered the newest Ashford a pacifier.

Ash would not accept it. He squirmed away whenever Alfred tried to put it in his mouth, crying all the louder.

Alfred shook his head, his face sour. " What do you _want_? "

Just then, Alexia stepped into the room, and it was as if a switch had been flicked--Ash stopped crying at once. 

Smiling, Alexia took him into her arms. 

Ash started giggling.

Alexia cast a befuddled Alfred a triumphant smirk. " You just don't have a mother's touch."

" So, what was your plan now? " Alfred asked, ignoring Alexia's last comment. He really hoped it did not involve him being the main care-provider to Ash.

" Simple. We're not going to raise him." Alexia purred, stroking the few bits of soft blonde hair on Ash's head, " I've made some arrangements with a Miss Maggie Evanson. She knows about us, and about Ash, but I know for a fact that she would not betray us. She is such a gullible woman, especially where money is involved, and she loves kids but cannot have any of her own. You can see why she was a perfect choice. She was only too happy to accept my offer. We agreed that she would raise Ash for money under the table, and I've already worked out the legal formalities. All that's left is delivery. We meet tomorrow morning at eight in my chosen location."

Alfred nodded. " Sounds good…but how long will she have Ash? "

Alexia shook her head. " I do not know. Whenever we overthrow Father, I guess. Of course, this will probably not be for at least another three years, I have so much to work out first! Fortunately, I have been making much progress in the T-Veronica field."

This was a good idea, Alfred thought. Skipping the baby stages was definitely a step in the right direction.

" Splendid decision! " Alfred embraced his sister into a hug, careful not to squish their newborn baby. " Your genius never stops amazing me! "

Alexia was not thrilled. " Yes. Whatever." She pushed Alfred off.

" I hope you're up to spending the night up here with our child."

Alfred couldn't believe it. " All alone?! "

Alexia rolled her eyes and snorted. " Of course not, doofus! Ash will be with you. What, are you afraid of the dark? "

Alfred shook his head, disbelieving, " No….I just thought you might want to spend some more time with our son before he leaves tomorrow."

Alexia shook her head. " Nope. He's kind of cute right now, but I look forward to him when he's much older. You can have the pleasures, Alfred. After all, he was _your_ idea."

Alexia grinned wickedly, her eyes two raging wild fires.

Alfred recognized that expression, the one that meant the subject was no longer up for discussion. 

" You're right," he agreed with a defeated sigh, " I'll do it."

Alexia handed him the baby. " Good."

Midnight approached.

Up in the secret birth room, Alfred tucked little Ash into bed after the feeding. 

He would miss Ash, though he would never openly admit it. Part of him wished he and Alexia could indeed find a way to raise their child together.

But Alexia always knew what was best, and if this was the way she wanted it, this was the way it would have to be. Besides, it wasn't like he'd never see the boy again. And when Alexia finally succeeded in her plans, they could all three rule over all insignificant persons and Ash would be a prince.

The glint of Alfred's shiny sapphire ring caught his eye. His proof of heritage. All the Ashfords had one: Alexia, and even that pitiful excuse for a father they had.

Only Ash did not.

That gave Alfred an idea. Quickly and quietly, he made his way back to his room. When he returned, it was with a beautiful garnet ring of exquisite and expensive design.

Originally he had intended it for Alexia, but there would always be time to find her another.

It was much too large to fit the baby now, but within a few year's time it should fit perfectly.

_I'll keep this until he's old enough, then I'll surprise him with it._ Alfred thought, _The Ashford legacy will live on!_

Setting the ring somewhere he deemed safe and out of sight, Alfred turned back to the bed and cuddled next to Ash.

There was not a doubt in his mind that the days ahead would indeed be glorious.

******************************************************************************** 

**__**

Stay tuned for Chapter 2 and the birth of Ash's sister! ^_-


	2. The birth of Alexis Ashford

**Chapter 2**

The warm rays of the sweet dawn sun fell upon the great form of the Ashford Manor.

Up in a clandestine room near the attic, behind the heavy curtains of a luxurious bed, was hidden a deadly secret.

For the second time in her life, Alexia Ashford was in labor. The pain came upon her unexpectedly in fiery waves; just when she thought she'd gotten over the worst of it, it would flare up again even more painful as if mocking her. There was no rest.

_Oh, why did I ever let him talk me into having a second child_? Alexia thought regretfully, shutting her eyes tightly as if it would help ease her pain, _I must be losing my mind. I'd forgotten just how much this **hurts**!_

But she couldn't fool herself--she knew exactly why she'd let Alfred con her into it: insurance. In case anything ever happened to their first child, Ash, she'd still have an offspring to put into use for her future plans.

And how glorious those plans would be!

But first thing came first: she had to bring this new child into the world.

Alexia, are you alright in there? Came Alfred's worried thoughtspeech. 

Since they were twins, and special ones at that, Alfred and Alexia shared a special psychic link. They could communicate to each other telepathically. Even though they'd had this ability since birth, they'd only recently put it to heavy use. Now that the west wing was in use again, it was especially important to keep quiet.

Shut up! Just shut up! Alexia's voice rang in Alfred's head, threatening to give him a headache. She knew he was just beyond the drapes, ready to help her with whatever she may need.

She was not in a particularly nice mood this morning.

Inside of her, the child moved, struggling to get out.

Alexia winced.

Within minutes, it was all over, and she was holding her new child in her arms, struggling to clean it up with a towel she had prepared for the occasion. 

The infant began fussing at this rough treatment.

She could hear Alfred leap up. What is it? 

Alexia looked down at the small life in her arms, the one she herself had helped to create.

This baby was a girl, and she already had a soft film of golden blonde hair on her head.

Alexia smiled in spite of herself. She was always kind of hoping her second child with Alfred would be female.

It is a girl. Alexia thoughtspoke, Do you have the bottle ready? 

Right here. Alfred's hand reached through the drapes grasping a nice warm bottle of infant formula he'd been holding for the past five minutes.

After testing it on her wrist to make sure that it was the right temperature, Alexia slid the nipple of the bottle into her daughter's open mouth. 

This delighted the baby--she stopped crying at once and started hungrily sucking away at this new food. While she was doing this, her mother wrapped her up in a soft violet baby-blanket. 

The Ashford Twins had not been caught unprepared this time around.

Or so they thought.

Alexander Ashford had noticed some peculiar behavior in his 15 year old son today. 

Alfred had been acting extremely uneasy, nervous. Almost like…almost like he had something to hide.

_But that's ridiculous_, Alexander thought, _what would he be hiding from me?_

Had he not seen with his own eyes his son sneaking off down the hall to west wing with something white in his hands, he probably would not have thought much more of it. It was not the habit of his children to try and keep things from him.

_And why would they, I give them everything they want! They have no reason to hate me, to keep secrets from me._

The thought infuriated Alexander. How could Alfred do this to him! And just what was he hiding, anyway?

Determined to get to the bottom of it, Alexander had followed his son into the west wing of the mansion--careful to keep a comfortable distance back. Once or twice Alfred had turned his head, as if sensing something, and he'd had to duck behind the corner just in the nick of time.

But in the end he had fooled the child, and now he found himself staring at the bed in Alfred's old room. Alfred was nowhere to be seen.

_But…I'm sure he came this way! _It made no sense. Nobody could just disappear like that! 

Frustrated, the master of Ashford Manor was just about to turn away and look someplace else when the ever so slightest cry caught his ear. 

_What…What is that? _It sounded like a baby's cry. And it was coming from just overhead.

Then it dawned on him…the secret passage up to the playroom! It had been so long ago…he'd almost forgotten. But now the memory rushed back to him in vivid detail. To get to the hidden playroom, one merely pulled a lever located right underneath the bed.

Alexander rubbed his hands together eagerly on his way to the bed.

It was time to find out just what exactly this was all about. 

Up in the secret room above the playroom, Alfred was holding his daughter for the first time. She'd finally pushed the bottle away, and now she was staring up at her father with sparkling sapphire eyes.

Alfred tickled her a bit and she laughed. She seemed to be a very happy baby, much happier than Ash had been. And she had been born at dawn, which was, unbeknownst to her parents, said to be the hour of innocence.

My, when she gets older, she's going to look a lot like you, Alexia. Alfred commented, Tell me, what are you going to name her? 

Alexia had just finished dressing in her after-the-birth clothes, and now she was standing so close to Alfred that when they both bent down to gaze upon their new child, their heads touched.

She does look like me, doesn't she? Alexia purred telepathically, Then it only stands to reason that she should be named for me. I shall call her Alexis, which sounds very much like my name, only with an 's' at the end instead of an 'a'.

Her middle name should be your name. Alfred suggested, It goes well with the rest, and it compliments Ash's middle name.

It's settled then, Alexia reached down to stroke Alexis's soft hair, Her name is Alexis Alexia Ashford.

Inside the hidden playroom, Alexander was baffled. The crying had stopped. What was more, nobody seemed to be in this room.

_I must be getting old_. He thought as he rested against the wall, unknowingly pressing the secret button, _Where could Alfred have gotten off to?_

As if in reply, the ceiling overhead began grinding and a very old, very dusty ladder lowered from a hidden compartment up there.

_A secret shaft! _Now he was excited. It looked like he would finally be getting to the bottom of this mystery once and for all

The Ashford Twins heard the grumble of the ladder lowering, and knew at once that somebody was on to them.

However, Alexander turned out to be a very fast climber, and they had absolutely zero time to react before their father was upon them, staring in shock at the scene before him.

" What is _this_?! " His eyes were glued to the small form of baby Alexis held tightly in Alfred's arms.

Both twins were at a loss for words.

Oh fudge, _now_ what are we going to do?! Alfred's thoughtspoke to his sister.

Despite Alfred's anxiety, Alexia seemed oddly calm. Go ahead and tell him the truth, Brother.

Are you _crazy_?! It was one of the few times Alfred had ever dared to question his twin's judgment, Do you know what he'll _do_ to us?! 

But already, the concept was starting to sink in with Alexander. _They didn't…they **couldn't**!_

But he could not deny what was before his very eyes. Besides, why else would his kids be trying to hide a baby? 

__

I always thought those two were maybe a little too close for siblings….the concept of it was just horrifying. His own children, indulging in incest behind his very back!

" Oh…no. God no. Please don't tell me that…" 

Alexia nodded, never taking her eyes of her father. Tell him, Alfred. We're not going to be able to deceive him anyway. Don't worry, he wont be a problem for us much longer. I have every intention of making him pay for his failures and the disgrace of our name.

Alfred straightened. _Well, okay_…. " That's right, Father. Meet your granddaughter Alexis."

Alexander slapped a hand to his face, distressed. " How could this happen? " _Where did I go wrong?_

But then initial shock was replaced with controlled anger. _Can't get them all riled up right now…I'd best play it cool until I have young Alexis safe and sound. Then I can exact punishment on these two incestuous siblings. How dare they deceive me! And after all I've done for them._

Alexander held out his hands. " Give her to me."

Alfred shrank back at once, something that could almost be a hiss escaping his throat.

" Damn you, Alfred! Give her to me! "

Alexia shot her brother a venomous look. " Do as he says, Alfred."

But…

You would dare to defy me?! Alexia's voice raged inside his head, **_Just do it! _**I'll not have my judgment questioned again by your ineptness. I know what I'm doing! 

" Alright…" Alfred slowly approached his distraught father with Alexis.

" Here." He handed his daughter over to her grandfather.

Alexis smiled at Alexander. Indeed, she had absolutely no idea how serious the situation was, or how much danger her grandpa was in.

Alfred backed off, his eyes gleaming with hatred and his expression fixed into a snarl. He felt very protective of his daughter, and he didn't like seeing her in Alexander's incompetent hands.

Alexia, on the other hand, was doing a pretty good job of keeping her cool. Though Alexander's stumbling into their affair had been unexpected, her warped mind had quickly found a way to turn this otherwise setback into an opportunity.

For just a second, Alexander took his eyes off his children to look at Alexis.

For just a second, his guard was down.

That was just the chance Alexia had been waiting for.

In a wild dash of speed, she withdrew the just-in-case syringe from her outfit and quickly rushed Alexander with it.

He barely had time to utter a surprised cry before the needle was piercing his flesh, injecting it's contents into his veins.

Alexia swiped Alexis from his arms and leapt back, waiting for the substance to take effect.

Alfred smiled in wicked glee. " Oh, so _this_ was the plan! " He snickered, no longer taking the precaution of thoughtspeech. 

Alexander's world had been rocked. 

" How…how could you do this to me? " He gasped, sinking to his knees and trying to fight off the high-speed effects of whatever Alexia had injected him with.

Alexia flashed him a ruthless smile. " Read your notes, Dad. How you created Alfred and I by isolating the intelligence gene. Too bad you forgot to isolate the loyalty gene as well! Finally your incompetent reign over this family will be put to an end, and we can begin to reverse the effects of your failures! " 

Alexander tried not to succumb, he really did. But it felt as if a blue whale were being placed upon his back, and he could not move.

" Bitch." His last word before he fell over face-first onto the floor, totally unconscious.

At that exact instant, and for no seemingly no logical reason, Alexis began to cry.

" Is he…" Alfred started.

" Dead? " Alexia finished, " No. Not for now, anyway. He is sleeping. It was only a matter of time before I tested him with my new virus anyway. I guess it just goes to show that things happen when it is time for them to happen."

Alexis cried all the louder.

Alexia looked down at her and frowned. " What is it, child? What is wrong with you? " She gestured for Alfred to bring her the bottle.

Alfred complied, and Alexia tried to give Alexis a drink of it.

Alexis would have none of it. Pushing the bottle away with her tiny fists, she began screaming her head off.

" That horrible racket! Make it stop! " Alfred complained, putting his hands to his ears.

Alexia thoroughly checked the babe over. Everything was fine, yet Alexis was screaming like she was being murdered, much louder than she would if she just wanted attention.

For once in her life, Alexia was completely stumped.

She handed the baby over to Alfred. " Do something! "

" What's wrong with her?! " Alfred voiced over the noise.

" I don't know! It doesn't make sense! "

Alfred had no clue how to sooth an infant. Thankfully, some paternal instinct hidden deep inside him told him what to do.

Propping Alexis over his shoulder, he began gently patting her back. " Shh. There there. It's alright."

He locked eyes with Alexia. " Do you think she's upset over Father? "

Alexia rolled her eyes in response. " Don't be ridiculous, Alfred. She's only an hour old, if that. She can't possibly understand."

Unbeknownst to the Ashford Twins, Alexis _did_ understand.

Well, not in the traditional meaning of the word, but in a way. Though it was true that she did not comprehend the physical aspects of the situation, she had inherited some of her parents' psychic abilities--a type of sixth sense. The moment Alexander went down, she had sensed a great hurt. It had washed over her consciousness in a painful wave of sorrow, even if she could not understand how or why.

Alexia had underestimated her daughter's abilities.

Finally, in minutes that seemed more like hours, Alexis quieted down, literally crying herself to sleep.

Now she lay twitching in Alfred's arms.

Alfred was upset. " Do you think there's something wrong with her? Something we cannot fix? " His voice was choked with emotion. Of the few things he loved, his daughter was one of them. He would do anything for her.

Alexia shook her head. " No…she should be just fine. She's perfectly healthy…I honestly don't know what made her go into such a fit. I shall have to research it later on. If it becomes necessary." Her eyes shifted over to the still form of Alexander lying unconscious on the floor. " First we're going to have to deal with him." She continued in a low voice, " I already have the perfect room picked out. We have that trip to the Antarctic base tomorrow, remember? "

Alfred nodded. " Yes but how are we going to…"

" Don't worry," Alexia assured, " I know just how to get there without anyone becoming the least suspicious. There is a special hidden room down there…perfect for our purposes. I'll simply keep Father sedated until we reach the establishment, and once he is there, I can test the T-Veronica virus on him. I have been waiting to see what effects it would have on a human."

" All that's great," Alfred agreed, " but what are we going to do with Alexis? "

Alexia twisted a lock of straw-blonde hair around her finger playfully, " Why, the same thing we did with Ash, of course. Only this time it won't be Maggie Evanson. I have picked out a Mr. Rosken and Mrs. Phelps that should do the job quite nicely. We should have no problems with them, I trust. And once circumstances allow it, we can retrieve both of our offspring; hopefully within the next three or four years, depending. They should be very impressionable at that age, but thankfully not quite as dependent."

" Sounds like a plan." 

And so the Ashfords went about their evil ideas, never doubting that their future would indeed be a glorious one, and ultimately sealing their fates.

Alexis on the other hand….well, that was another matter.

She would indeed grow up to powerfully resemble her parents, especially her mother. But, unlike Alexia, Alexis was not destined for evil…..

********************************************************************************

__

And thus, the saga begins. To see what becomes of the new Ashford kids when they get older, please check out my other stories:

**__**

A New Tide--- Ash = 15 years old and Alexis = 14 years old ( Keep in mind that this takes place very close to their birthdays. )

**__**

Crimson Africa---Ash = 21 years old and Alexis = 20 years old

__

All reviews welcome! =^-^= 


	3. The birth of Alexandra Ashford

**Chapter 3**

Dusk fell on the American California Ashford Manor; one of the many mansions Alexia and her brother owned worldwide. This one was every bit as spacious and elegant as the one at Rockfort had been, and it's design was much the same with the exception of more balconies overlooking a beautiful bay. The large expanse of forest and land surrounding the place for over a mile was theirs alone, and they made good use of it with several smaller research centers and a smorgasbord of captive animals occupying the premises.

This particular evening found Alfred searching the many rooms of the manor for his sister. Dressed in only the finest designer clothes--he would never settle for anything less than the best; today he was outfitted in a fancy green shirt with complimentary beige pants--he strode into one of the many family rooms.

There he was greeted by the sight of Ash lounging on the couch, munching mouthfuls of what looked like chocolate-covered raisins while watching a big screen TV. The volume was up quite loud.

" Ash? " Alfred tried.

His son didn't even notice him, and instead continued watching the tube. It was some program about a surfer.

Alfred took a moment to notice his choice of attire: an expensive uniform consisting of a blue and gold top with white pants. It much mirrored the red and gold uniform Alfred sometimes wore, minus the red.

Ash seemed abnormally infatuated with the color blue. He chose it over any other color.

Though Alfred had to admit he had good taste, at the moment he was feeling rather impatient. He needed to find Alexia.

Without another moment's hesitation, the older Ashford marched right over to the coffee table, snatched the remote, and pressed the 'off ' button.

Now Ash noticed. " What did you do that for? " He complained, giving his father a disapproving glare.

Alfred was not in the mood. " Have you seen your mother? "

Ash's response was quick and sarcastic. " Yes, many times." He reached into the yellow box he was holding, scooped out another handful of chocolaty goodness, and tossed them into his mouth.

Alfred frowned. At nineteen years old, his son was a disrespectful, disobedient delinquent, especially towards him. That in itself would've qualified most people for the guillotine, but Ash was family. Not only that, he practically worshiped the ground Alexia walked on. If it weren't for this fact--and for the fact that Alexia was quite fond of her son--Alfred would've disowned him years ago.

_He thinks he's such a hotshot. _Alfred thought bitterly. He had been used to having his twin all to himself. Now he had Ash to compete with for her affections. And of all things, Ash was quite good at pleasing Alexia_. It's almost like…almost like he's replacing me._

The thought both frightened and saddened him. 

Alfred loved his sister very much. A little _too_ much, actually. He would do anything for her. He would die for her. After all they'd been through together--he'd thought nothing would ever be able to come between them.

But lately, Ash seemed to be doing just that. Alexia seemed to spend more time with him than Alfred, and it seemed to him that she was a little more lenient where Ash was concerned. In fact, she even allowed Ash to disrespect him in her presence.

One the flip side, Alfred still loved his son, and would never wish to see any harm come to him; but nowadays father and son were more like rivals than family.

" No, I mean have you…where is she? " Alfred demanded, tone equally as rude as Ash's had been.

Ash shrugged. " What do I look like, a radar? She's probably down in the labs hiding from you." He continued eating his treats and reached for the remote; considering the discussion over.

Alfred was enraged. " Give me those! " He ripped the yellow box out of Ash's hands and started reading the label.

" Hey! " Ash complained.

" Tasty Critters…chocolate covered ants? " Alfred made a most disgusted face, " You eat _ants?!_ "

" Oh. So that's what they are. " Ash shrugged, not at all upset by the concept, " I thought they tasted a bit crunchier than the usual chocolate covered raisins. It would seem the servants goofed up. Can I have them back now? " He reached for the box.

Alfred backed up and held it beyond his reach. " Your mother would be most displeased to learn you have been eating these. Does her work with the T-Veronica virus mean nothing to you? Ants are a scientific marvel--a wonder of nature. They are respected in this family."

Ash rolled his eyes. " Whatever. Those aren't Mother's anyway, and they're already dead, therefore making them useless to her studies. They're really quite tasty. I want them back."

Alfred could not believe his ears. " Ashfords do _not_ eat ants! "

" Says you! " Ash got up and started for the box.

Alfred backed away, narrowing his eyes on the younger Ashford, " And when I find your mother I'll be sure to tell her what you think of the subject."

" Oh yeah? " Catching up with Alfred, Ash grabbed the box with both hands and pulled very hard.

Equally as determined, Alfred held on. He _also _was pulling very hard.

A door opened to the left, and Alexia entered just in time to see the box tear in half and Ash and Alfred fall on their butts in a rain of chocolate covered ants.

They were everywhere--on the floor, on the sofa, in her family's hair and clothes.

Both Ashfords looked up quickly at her arrival.

" Alexia! I was just looking for you! " Alfred greeted, rising and brushing the chocolate ants off his clothes in an attempt to look more regal in the presence of his sister.

Alexia knew he'd been fighting with Ash again.

On one side, she was flattered that they both cared so much for her--they were loyal in the extreme. She knew that she would always be able to count on them.

On the other side, their childish fights and arguments were a real tax on her patience.

Ash rose, shaking the ants off. He smiled when he saw his mother. " Hi Mom."

Alexia frowned. " What are those? " She pointed to the chocolate ants littering the floor.

" Those? Well, they…they're…um…" Ash stammered, afraid to tell her the truth. _Dad was right…Mom won't like the idea of me snacking on chocolate covered ants in this household. She practically worships them…oh boy, I'm in trouble! _His eyes fell to the floor.

Alfred had no qualms with finishing the answer. " They're chocolate covered ants! " He announced proudly, glad that Ash would finally be getting in trouble with Alexia for a change.

What Alfred did not realize was that the air with which he said that suggested to Alexia that he, too, had been eating the ants.

Alexia was far from amused. " I don't think I need to explain why this embarrasses me. An insult to the family name."

" I thought you said Alexis was the insult to the family name." Ash brought up. Alfred wanted to slap him. _Ash, my boy, you really don't know when to keep your mouth shut!_

Alexia glared at her son, annoyed.

Ash swallowed nervously. He could tell he was heading up Danger Creek…Alexia did not liked to be mocked.

_Why oh why did I go and say that? _Ash thought, regretting his words. His problem was that sometimes his lips moved when he had thoughts.

" I mean…nevermind. Sorry, Mother." He redeemed.

Alexia rolled her eyes, but seemed to accept the apology.

" Come with me, Alfred. I have something to discuss with you."

Alfred was electrified. _She actually wants to talk to me alone! _It was almost too good to be true. 

Alexia held open the door and gestured for him to follow.

Ash knew better than to press his luck by asking to join. " I'll just stay here and take care of this mess." He announced, watching his parents leave the room.

But his mind was buzzing with the question: _I wonder what she wants to talk to him about? _

With a sigh, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cell phone. It was time to call in a maid to clean up this mess so he could finish watching TV.

*************************************

Walking down the halls with her, Alfred couldn't help but to feel a certain excitement radiating from his twin. Even her stride seemed quickened, as if she could not wait to get to wherever they were going.

Wherever it was, she was dressed for the occasion in a fanciful red evening gown with white cotton gloves extending just past her elbows. The gown itself seemed to shimmer--as if there were a magical spell placed upon it.

Alexia lead him without a word through the corridors, past the servants and maids' quarters, down the stairs, and into the lower levels of the establishment. She stopped in front of an ironclad door.

" Please say the password." The computer voice prompted once she pressed a button off to the door's right.

" Stroganoff fifty-five." Alexia blurted, surprising Alfred.

The computer took a moment to process that.

" Stroganoff fifty-five? " Alfred repeated, eyebrows raised in question, " Does that hold some significance to you? "

Alexia laughed. " Of course not! That's what makes it the perfect password. "

" Access granted." The computer announced in it's robotic put-me-to-sleep voice. There was a sharp 'click' as the door unlocked.

Alexia pushed it open with ease.

" Aren't you worried you might forget such an…unusual password? " Alfred brought up.

" No," his twin replied, " Not likely. That's what makes my passwords tricky. Father was such a fool…anyone with half a brain could figure out that 'Veronica' was the code to almost all his major systems."

" I concur." Alfred agreed, " After all, Veronica's picture was hanging in practically every room in every place we ever lived. And those twits say _I'm _obsessed."

He was shocked at what he found waiting on the other side of the ironclad door. A generous-sized room lay before him with plush red carpeting, a small but exquisite coffee table complimenting a violet-red velvet couch, a roaring fire in a fireplace, and a small TV overlooking a lavish queen-sized bed. A radio was off in the corner, playing classical music on low. There were no windows anywhere. 

Alfred inhaled the scent of rich chocolate incense.

" Go to the couch." Alexia instructed.

Alfred did as he was told, and heard the click of the heavy iron door being locked.

Needless to say, that made him just a tad nervous. Had she locked the doors to keep the others out, or to keep him in?

Alfred loved his sister dearly, but even he had to admit she had a history of turning on family members. Not like he didn't, but now he was completely at Alexia's mercy. 

He shook the thought aside. _Nah, Alexia'd never turn on me. What reason would she have? _He had never done anything but please her his entire life. _She would have no reason to be upset with me. Besides, she puts up with a heck of a lot from Ash._

Alexia drifted over and sat next to him. Their eyes met.

" What do you wish to discuss, Alexia? " He couldn't take his eyes off her. _She's so beautiful._

A smile played at the edges of Alexia's ruby-red lips. She ran a hand through her straw-blonde hair, as if playing with the idea of what to say to him.

Just as she'd expected, her brother became very curious--she could see it in his eyes, the way they kept flitting around quizzically, taking in the new environment.

Peeling off one of her expensive white gloves, Alexia touched a bare finger to the wick of a candle sitting on the coffee table--setting it ablaze instantly. She repeated the process for Alfred's candle, then leaned back and replaced her glove.

Alfred didn't know what to think. His sister was usually a very cold, serious woman, but this room had a very romantic feel to it.

" I wish to try an experiment," Alexia said simply, " One to which I am sure you will agree to."

Alfred's original worry multiplied. " What kind of an experiment? " He tried to make it sound like a calm, casual question.

Alexia smiled wickedly. " Oh, don't worry: I do not wish to experiment _on you_. As you know, I have been continuously researching my virus; discovering my strengths and weaknesses. You know, _besides_ Redfields with linear launchers. Anyway, to make this sweet and simple, I have concluded that if I were to become pregnant again, my next offspring would possess amazing powers and intellect. Another queen ant in the grand scheme of things."

Alfred could barely believe his ears. Being fairly intelligent himself, he understood what Alexia was hinting at. 

And he wanted it. The thought of being with her in that way again was elating.

Still, he had to be sure this was what Alexia really wanted. " But I thought you wanted to be the one and only Queen." He almost whispered.

Scooting closer, Alexia leaned over and whispered in his ear, " It gets lonely being here at the top. Even a queen must have a worthy heir." Her voice was a seductive purr, and it was simply too much to resist.

Turning to face her, Alfred met her lips in a tender kiss. There was a flare of wild excitement in her eyes as she reached up to stroke his hair.

" I want another child. A child of pureblood. Will you do me the honor of being the sire? "

" Yes." Alfred purred, giving into the lust, " When shall we start? "

Alexia gestured all around the room with her hand. " This whole area is sound-proof and completely secure. Even if someone figures out the password is stroganoff fifty-five, they still have to possess my voice. That just isn't going to happen. There's a bed over there…now would be a good time to place our order with the stork, if you know what I mean."

Alfred knew exactly what she meant. With a curt nod, he followed her to the bed……

*********************************************** 

_Just over three months later…._

Alexia's newest daughter awoke, surrounded by blankets. She wriggled about for a second in them, enjoying their soft touch. They weren't as warm as the place she'd just been, and they weren't what she was used to, but it was a nice change. Nice to feel the dryness of air. Nice to take her first actual breaths.

She just wanted to rest, to be warm….movement.

Something was touching her, rubbing all over her skin. She cried out in surprise and fear.

What was this new thing? Was it going to hurt her?

By reflex, she opened her eyes…and the entire world was transformed.

Colors! Images! Not just darkness anymore…this was new. This was good. 

She saw a large form in front of her, putting some soft, colorful things over her skin. Instantly, she knew that this was her mother and that she was safe.

Satisfied in that certainty, she wiggled her arms and legs, getting used to their movement and the way they functioned.

" Alexandra! Will you hold still? " A voice boomed, sounding as loud as a 747 jumbo-jet to her tender ears. 

She realized the voice had come from her mother, and she did not sound happy.

_Alexandra…is that me? _The baby wondered. She had no idea how she knew this, and she did not understand the rest of her mother's words, but she knew her mother had called her Alexandra. She just knew it to be fact, as real as the warm fuzzies around her.

Alexandra opened her mouth to say _'I'm here, please hold me!'_, but all that came out was " Gaa."

Her mother did not seem to understand this. Instead of holding her, she started walking away!

" Awaahh! " Alexandra called, _Come back!_

Alexia did return, holding something small and shiny. She reached down and…a sharp prick! A sting! Alexandra cried out in pain. The shiny thing was hurting her!

She tried to struggle away, but Alexia held her still. Alexandra caught a glimpse of the shiny thing filling up with something red. After a horrible moment, the thing pulled away and her mother put something sticky on her arm where it had bitten.

Then she started leaving…Alexandra was about to cry out again when another form appeared. It looked like her mother only…different somehow. This 'Other' picked her up and held her to him closely, rocking gently.

_This is nice. I like this. _Alexandra thought. She closed her eyes.

" Just as I thought," She heard her mother say, " There is an extremely high concentration of T-Veronica in her cells. I believe it's woven into the very structure of her DNA: a mutation, if you will."

" Makes sense…she did grow abnormally fast…six months earlier than normal. Yet here she is, perfectly the right size and perfectly healthy. I believe you have set a new world record, Sister." This voice was different than her mother's. It belonged to The Other.

Of course, Alexandra had no idea what they were talking about, only that they sounded happy and she was warm and safe.

And that was all that mattered.

******************************************* 

Alexandra grew strong and supernaturally fast. At two years she already had both the physical body and mentality of any five year old. I addition, she was exceptionally strong. Her mother had been teaching her tone hone her powers to make the most use of her skills.

On this fine day, Alexandra was appreciating the outdoors of her family's Oregon home. She enjoyed life; the bright colors, the pretty flowers, the animals…all of it. Though her family had forbade her to go near them, Alexandra had not been able to resist the lure of the woods a quarter mile out back of the family's house and just across a grassy field.

She was there now; watching the wildlife, resting with her back against a boulder next to a creek. It was so peaceful.

_This is nice, _She thought, just me and the animals. _ No servants or parents, no mean big brother telling me what I can and can't do._

The laughing waters of the creek seemed to gurgle their agreement.

Alexandra looked up, locking her ice-blue eyes onto the cerulean sky. Overhead, the clouds seemed to dance in the wind, forming funny shapes every now and then. The sun shone warmly.

She inhaled deeply, savoring the crisp scent of the wind and the way it all made her feel. Without a doubt, this was the life.

************************************************

Ash woke with a start. Immediately, his eyes fell upon the TV. The end credits to one of Alexandra's favorite cartoon movies were playing.

_How long did I doze off? _He wondered, leaping off the sofa and scanning the room for the one thing he hoped he had not lost.

The room was empty, save himself and a few of Alexandra's toys. His little sister was nowhere to be found. _Oh man, don't tell me she's gone!_

" Alexandra? " He called, getting more worried by the second. _Oh God…I have to find her…I was supposed to be watching her! _There was no reply.

He gazed up at the clocked hanging on the wall. _Ten till Five…Mom and Dad are going to be home any minute now. If they find out I've lost Alexandra, they'll kill me! Stupid kids' show--if it wasn't so boring maybe I could've stayed awake. Thanks a lot, Disney._

Why couldn't the servants watch her every once in a while? Ash had suggested it before, but for some strange reason his parents were dead-set against it.

Well, standing around and wishing things were different wasn't solving anything.

With a frustrated sigh, he turned and was about to enlist the aid of the servants and employees to help him search for her when a door opened.

This was not Ash's lucky day. Naturally, it was his less-than-benevolent parents standing in the threshold. They frowned when they saw Ash was alone.

" Where's your sister? " Alexia demanded with all the sweetness of a crocodile with a toothache.

Ash felt the color starting to drain from his face. He gave a nervous laugh. " You know, a funny thing happened while we were watching TV…"

Alexia raised an eyebrow. " Really? I'd love to hear it."

Alfred crossed his arms and remained silent, waiting for Ash's explanation.

Ash wilted under their scrutiny. " The hard core truth? I fell asleep during _Bambi _and when I woke up just a minute ago Alexandra was gone. I apologize for my incompetence, I will make sure it doesn't happen again."

Alexia slapped a hand over her eyes in frustration, shaking her head. _Why me? Why them? _Removing her hand, she said, " We will look for her then. Alfred, you check the west wing; Ash, the east. Involve as many people as you can. I'll search outside. We can't allow her to get very far--if she says too much to the wrong people it could spell trouble. And I don't like trouble."

************************************************* 

Alexandra's peaceful skygazing was cut short by the sound of something falling through the branches in the trees. Getting up, she walked on over to the clump of grass underneath a tree where she'd seen the something fall. 

The grass moved. Curious, she leaned over and peered in. 

A fledgling bird looked back at her, ducking down and trying to hide itself from view. It wasn't fully feathered yet, but the feathers it did have were black and stubby. In Alexandra's opinion, it's bulging innocent eyes and out-of-proportion oversize beak only added to it's cuteness.

_Probably a crow_, She thought, _there's a lot of them around here. _" Hey there, baby bird." She cooed softly, " You fell out of your nest, didn't you? "

The little chick just stared at her. Alexandra smiled. " Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you." She lowered her hand down, and the chick started hopping away--clumsy on it's big feet.

Alexandra pounced on it, taking extreme care not to hurt it. The terrified chick thrashed and kicked in her hands. " Sorry, but if I just let you go some mean old cat might get you."

When it realized it wasn't being hurt, the chick calmed down a bit. Alexandra put her pointer finger by it's feet, and the little bird gripped on tightly the way it would a twig. Now it was perched on her finger.

" Let's see…where do you belong? " Her eyes trailed up the trunk of the very large, very thick pine tree the chick had fallen from. She could just make out a nest high amongst the branches.

Alexandra frowned. That tree's lowest branches were well above her reach, even with her enhanced jumping ability. She would never be able to reach the nest. As it was, the chick had probably sifted down slowly through the branches and the soft grass had cushioned it's fall.

" Gee…that's a long way up…" She thought aloud. She shook her head and stared at the chick.

It looked very much like it wanted back in it's nest.

Alexandra thought a moment, trying to decide what to do. She jerked in surprise when a hand fell over her shoulder. Turning around, she saw her mother standing over her, looking slightly miffed.

" Hi Mommy! " Alexandra chirped.

Alexia's frown deepened. " What did your father and I tell you about going off all alone? Especially to the woods. You're in big trouble, young lady."

Alexandra cast her eyes to the ground. " I'm sorry, Mommy. Look, I found a baby bird! " She held the perched chick up proudly, showing it off to her mother.

Alexia shook her head. " Leave it here. We must be getting home. Everyone's looking for you."

" But we can't just leave him! " Alexandra protested, " He fell out of his nest and I can't reach it. Something will get him if I just leave him on the ground! "

" So? Put him in a bush or something." Alexia suggested, agitated.

Alexandra was horrified by the thought. " But what about nighttime…he'll be cold. How will he get food? Can't I please take him home? He could be my pet! I promise to clean up after him."

Alexia was not convinced. " No. The last thing we need is some ugly fledgling in the house. He stays here."

" But Mommy…he can't even fly yet! " Alexandra grabbed one of the chick's stubby wings and stretched it out. The partially developed feathers barely came close to being suitable for flight. 

This gave Alexia an idea. She was always looking for new things to teach her daughter, and now arose the perfect opportunity for a lesson in biology.

The chick retracted it's wing.

Alexia's harsh expression softened some. " Would you like to learn how birds fly? "

Alexandra nodded, the eager little learner her mother had predicted. " Yes."

" Alright then," Alexia held out her hand, " give me the chick."

Alexandra did as she was told and set the chick into her mother's hand. 

The bird tried to leap out, but Alexia stopped it with a firm hold on it's feet. She fiddled with the little chick until she was holding it by it's back in one palm with it's face and belly facing up. She took the long thumbnail of her other hand and plunged it into the little creature's chest, slicing downwards. Because of her virus, Alexia's fingernails were extraordinarily strong and sharp, like a letter opener. Red blood gushed out of the wound in a long, dripping line. The chick squawked in agony.

Alexandra couldn't take it. " Stop! Stop you're hurting him! " She reached over to try and grab the chick away from her heartless mom, but Alexia simply smacked her hand away. " Please don't do that! Let him go! Please! " 

Alexandra's polite request was just as politely ignored.

" The first thing you need to know is that birds have hollow bones. See? " Alexia pulled a bloody bone up from the spasming body of the dying chick.

She fondly remembered doing this same lesson as a child, showing Alfred the mechanics of a robin. Ripping the bird apart with a scalpel, she had given him an in-depth and visual of what went on inside it's body. Alfred had been fascinated and eager to learn. She had assumed Alexandra would have much the same reaction.

She was wrong. 

Alexandra was appalled. _It's all my fault…I should never haven given it to her! I should never have come out here. That poor little bird. _Overwhelmed with guilt, and deeply upset, Alexandra turned and started running into the woods.

Alexia was getting angry. " Get back here! " Her voice was stern and unwavering.

Alexandra froze in her tracks. 

" Come on! Don't make me repeat myself or else you shall profoundly regret it." 

Sadly, Alexandra turned back and obeyed, knowing better than to provoke her mother's wrath.

Alexia's stare could melt lead. " You really must get over this aversion to death. Death is a part of life. It is a natural process."

Alexandra made a face. " I don't like death. And I don't like hurting things."

That was not at all what Alexia wanted to hear. Now she was _really _starting to get angry. " You have much to learn about the order of the world, child! " Dropping the dead chick, she seized Alexandra's arm. Her sharp nails pierced her daughter's flesh, and blood dripped from the wound. 

Every place a drop of Alexandra's blood touched the ground a roaring flame of fire sprang.

Alexia released her hold, reminded that Alexandra shared her virus. _She shares my virus, but not my ideals. _She thought bitterly, _We're going to have to work her into shape before she ends up a useless failure like Father and Alexis. That's fine, I enjoy a challenge_.

" Come." She ordered, " We shall start your new lessons today."

Alexandra knew better than to argue. With much sorrow in her heart, she followed her mother back home. She had an idea of what 'lessons' her mother had planned for her.

_But I don't like hurting things. _She thought, casting one last backwards glance at the dead chick, _And it doesn't matter what they do or say--they're never going to be able to change that._

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Well, that does it for this story. Let me know if you would like to see more Ashford stories like this in the future. =^-^=

For the new readers out there, Alexandra also appears in my other fic "Crimson Africa".


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